December 22, 2014

PREPPER QUIZ - CHANCES OF SURVIVAL SELF-ASSESSMENT TEST

WHAT ARE YOUR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL?

HOW GOOD OF A PREPPER ARE YOU?

TAKE THE PREPPER QUIZ BELOW TO FIND OUT.

This is perhaps the most extensive prepper quiz or self-assessment survival test you can find online. It has 189 questions on a spreadsheet. You can make a copy of the spreadsheet to work on it or print it out and do it by hand.

Your prepping situation, plans, and preps will be questioned to discover your chances of survival. The questions go beyond basic survival and will also give you an idea of how well you will be surviving if society were to collapse. The questions cover 7 main categories: Group Dynamics, Location, Security, Water, Food, Medical, and General Survival.

I got the idea for this from the "Get Your Prepper Score" test on the Doomsday Preppers website. I assume a lot of those questions come from the Practical Preppers. However, I thought that quiz was very limited in scope and I disagreed with many of the assumptions. This prepper quiz assumes a total collapse of society and has much more in depth questions. You may disagree with some of the questions and the point system, but feel free to adjust this survival self-assessment test in any way you desire. Just make a copy or download it and change it to fit your style.

High score is 10,000 points. I figure the average prepper family will score about 7,000.

I will try to put this prepper quiz online once I find the right software/platform/app. For now, this will have to do. You can either download the excel file, open it in Google and make a copy, or view the quiz below. It's better to use Excel or Google, since it will calculate your totals for you and reveal your areas of strengths and weaknesses.

Good luck preppers and wannabee preppers!

The high score is 10,000 points, however it's impossible to get the absolute high score, since some of the questions negate each other on purpose, but high in the 9,000s is possible. The questions are divided into 7 categories: Group Dynamics accounts for 6% of the points; Location 16%; Security 23%; Water 9%; Food 19%; Medical 6%; General Survival 23%. (Perhaps Security is too high at 23%. What do you think?) This quiz is based on a scenario of a complete collapse of society for the foreseeable future. The SHTF. It is WROL. Electricity, supply lines, sewage, and all other services have failed. Since the primary threat will be other humans, you'll see this assessment emphasizes avoiding other humans. You might disagree with this strategy. You are welcome to change the questions or values to create your own version. Please share this on social media. If you repost this quiz on your website or blog, please make a reference and link to the creator, SurvivalSage.com, where you can get a survival information package of 1.2 million pages (equivalent of 6,000 full-sized books) for less than $70.

QUESTION & CHOICES

POINTS

YOUR POINTS

EXPLANATION

GROUP DYNAMICS

1

How many people are in your survival group that will live and work together?

My general feeling is that a group of about 30 is most ideal, at least initially. Large enough for protection and to get things done, but not so large that it's unorganized and people don't feel responsible for producing their own food.

1

0

2-3

11

4-7

28

8-13

100

14-19

121

20-39

135

40-59

71

60-149

4

150-499

-57

500-1,999

-398

2,000-9,999

-612

10,000+

-1138

2

What percent of your group is in their prime? (teenage through 50s)

Although, having a couple wise and experienced elders can help a lot.

100

54

75-99

51

50-74

40

25-49

31

0-24

20

3

What percent of your group is male?

Realistically, a group of ten guys will have a better chance of surviving than a group of ten women. Most groups will be mixed anyways, so no biggie.

100

11

75-99

11

50-74

7

25-49

5

0-24

3

4

What is the average physical health of your group? (overweight and out of shape is not as big a deal as things like a bad back and requiring medication)

excellent

34

good

30

average

24

poor

9

extremely poor

0

5

How would you rate the mental strength of your group? (intelligence, general knowledge and street smarts)

excellent

37

good

30

average

21

poor

9

extremely poor

0

6

How would you rate the ability of your group to function under the stress of an emergency?

excellent

27

good

23

average

17

poor

9

extremely poor

0

7

How would you rate the ability of your group to stick to the master plan after the collapse of society? (ex. “I know we said it was just going to be our two families, but is it OK if I also bring my cousin's family...and my neighbor's kids...and can we pick up my great Aunt Lucy on the way? We can stretch our food rations right?”)

If your group can't stick to the master plan, it could be the undoing of your good chances of surviving.

excellent

36

good

28

average

18

poor

4

extremely poor

0

8

How would you rate the work ethic of your group?

excellent

26

good

20

average

14

poor

7

extremely poor

0

9

How functional is your group in that it has good leaders, good secondary leaders, and good followers?

excellent

38

good

30

average

19

poor

7

extremely poor

0

10

How close knit is your group in terms of how long you’ve known each other, how much time you’ve spent together, and how well you get along?

Trust is important. Getting along is important.

very close knit

24

close knit

19

so so

12

not close knit

3

we actually haven’t met yet

0

11

How often does your group practice survival skills?

once a month or more often

47

multiple times a year

43

once a year

36

we have a few times

23

once

9

never have

0

12

How often does your group drill for a SHTF scenario?

once a month or more often

23

multiple times a year

20

once a year

14

we did a few times

11

we did once

7

never have

0

13

How well does your lifestyle now match up with how your lifestyle will be after the STHF?

If your lifestyle is the same, you're essentially 'prepared' already.

practically the same

78

there will be some changes

65

there will be changes

40

there will be a lot of changes

18

it will be drastically different

0

LOCATION

14

Do you live at your main survival location or do you have to travel there when the shtf? (if you plan on bugging in, then bugging out if necessary, it is recommended to do this survey twice for each location)

If you already live there, it removes a lot of danger and inability to bring your supplies, since you'll already have them there, and you won't have to brave the roads.

I live there

58

I plan on bugging out as soon as I know it's gonna get ugly

44

I'll bug out when there is no other option

0

15

Do you have multiple bug out location possibilities? These would be survival locations other than your current home.

Having a bug out location is a must. Spend some time on Google Earth and decide on some locations.

Yes, multiple that are walking distance, multiple that are driving distance, and the ones that are driving distance are in different directions from our home and miles apart from one another

14

Yes, I have multiple bug out locations, but they don't meet the criteria in the above response

11

I just have one and I'll wing it from there

6

I don't have a bug out location

-57

16

Do you have a map of your main survival location?

yes

10

no

0

17

Do you know all the routes to get to your locations?

Yes, and I've got maps

9

Yeah basically

6

No, but I at least know one route

3

I have no bug out location

0

18

Do you have a bug out vehicle?

yes, it’s emp protected and diesel fueled

24

yes, it’s emp protected

21

Yes, it's diesel fueled

18

yes

16

no

0

19

Is your bug out vehicle well equipped?

yes, it's tricked out to the max and we'll be cocked and loaded

9

well, it's dependable and should do the job

4

umm, it's kinda slow and doesn't have 4 wheel drive or I don't have a vehicle

0

20

Are you able to get all your personnel and supplies to your survival location in one trip or will it take multiple trips?

Going back for more supplies is a big risk-big reward kind of game. Play wisely.

one trip (or I'm already there)

26

2-3 trips

6

3 or more trips

0

21

Do you have enough fuel to get to your survival location?

yes, I have enough fuel stored already to get me there and then some (or I'm already at my location)

23

yes, only enough to get me there (or I won't drive to a survival location)

14

I plan on filling up at first sign of distress before the gas stations run out of fuel

7

not quite

0

22

If automobiles aren't working, do you have an alternative plan for getting to your bug out location with all your gear?

yes, we have horses and wagons or bicycles and wagons or other rapid transportation to get us and our gear to our bug out location (or we're already there)

24

yes, we’ll walk and we have carts, wagons, etc.

14

no, we’ll walk and carry what we can

0

23

How far will you have to travel to get to your location?

10 miles or less

-1

11-50 miles

-5

51-200 miles

-18

201-500 miles

-50

501-1,000 miles

-107

more than 1,000 miles

-213

24

Will you have to travel through populated areas to reach your destination?

no, it's pretty rural area

10

yes, but it's not very populated

5

yes, through lots of people

0

25

Where is your main survival location?

Living in the bush is the safest, since it makes it very hard for thieves and bad guys to find you.

in the bush

164

rural (on a dirt road)

85

rural (on a paved road)

57

small town

14

mid-sized city

3

suburban outskirts of large city

1

urban

0

26

How far is your survival location from a major city? (1 million+ population)

Refugees will flee cities and spread out across the land looking for water and food.

more than 200 miles

71

101-200 miles

28

51-100 miles

14

50 miles or less

0

27

How far is your survival location from a small city? (between 80,001 and 1 million population)

more than 125 miles

43

76-125 miles

21

26-75 miles

10

25 miles or less

0

28

How far is your survival location from a large town? (between 4,001 and 80,000 population)

more than 75 miles

28

46-75 miles

18

11-45 miles

7

10 miles or less

0

29

How far is your survival location from the nearest small town? (population of 4,000 or less)

Being within a day's walk from a small town is actually good, because you will have a place to go for raids if you need things. Not that you should steal, but a lot of the people will have left their things behind or died, so you can take advantage of that. Or, if the people are surviving, you can trade with them.

13 miles or more

21

5-12 miles

24

1-4 miles

6

Less than 1 mile

0

30

How far is your survival location from the nearest paved road?

6+ miles

85

3 - 5 miles

64

.5 - 2 miles

21

less than ½ a mile

4

it’s on a paved road

0

31

How far is your survival location from the nearest dirt road (or paved road again if a paved road is closer)?

5+ miles

28

2 - 4 miles

26

.5 - 1 mile

14

less than ½ a mile

6

it’s on a dirt road

0

32

How far is your survival location from a major body of water?

Refugees will flock to major bodies of water, especially ones that are familiar to them. Tent cities will spring up and conditions will degrade and become very dangerous as food runs out.

16+ miles

43

5 - 15 miles

28

1.6 -4 miles

17

.6 - 1.5 miles

3

.1-.5 miles

-6

I'm camping on it.

-36

If you need to fetch water or do some fishing, you don't want to be so close to the water that others travelling the water ways will find you, but you don't want to exert all your energy by walking long distances every day, so a medium distance is suitable. However, if you get your water from a well or rain catchment, etc. and don't need to do any fishing, you can be as far away from water as you like.

33

How far is your survival location from the nearest body of water of any size?

2000 or more meters

10

500-2000 meters

28

200-500 meters

26

50-200 meters

4

I'm camping on it.

0

34

How likely is it that refugees or bandits will discover your survival location because it is either upstream or downstream from where they currently live?

This question is asking how likely they will find you AS A RESULT of living downstream or upstream. Previous questions of being near cities and roads account for how likely they will find you in general. This question needs to be asked, though, because as people seek fresh water and food, many will simply travel upstream from wherever they live.

not possible, because practically nobody lives downstream or upstream from my survival location

58

it’s a remote possibility

40

it’s a possibility

17

there will probably be a few

0

there will definitely be people travelling through who will discover my survival location

-57

35

Is your survival location within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant or within the fallout zone of a nuclear power plant (about 100 miles downwind)?

You need to check the map to double check about this one.

no

0

O crap, yes it is

-1138

36

Do you have a survey meter, like a geiger counter?

yes

6

no

0

It is often good to have trees surrounding your location, but this question is accounting for the threat of wildfires. With many people cooking over open fires, using candles, and mistakes happening, wildfires will be a serious concern. Other questions ask about firewood, construction materials, and being hidden, which have a positive view on living in the forest.

37

Is there woods and vegetation around your survival location?

no

40

yes, brush and grass, but it’s usually green

31

yes, bushes and trees, but they’re usually green

24

yes, brush and grass that is usually dry

14

yes, bushes and trees that are usually dry

0

38

Is your survival location on the windward side (the side from which the wind comes; the receiving side) of a forest or brush area?

yes

7

If you are on the windward side of a brush/forest area, there is a smaller chance of being consumed by a wildfire.

it’s kind of in the middle

2

no, it’s on the leeward side (the opposite side of windward)

0

my survival location isn’t in a forest or brush area

7

39

If a fire sweeps through your area quickly and catches you off guard, is there a place you can go to avoid being consumed, such as jumping in water, a deep tunnel or bunker?

yes, it’s close by (or it’s not possible for fire to sweep through my area)

10

yes, but I will have to run a bit to get there first

4

no

0

40

On what floor will you be living at your survival location?

If you plan on surviving in a high rise, your biggest threat might be a fire, since the water will no longer be running and firefighters won't come to help.

ground floor or underground

0

2nd

-1

3rd-4th

-7

5th-10th

-26

11th-20th

-48

21st or higher

-63

41

Is your survival location in tornado territory?

no

1

yes, but we have a bunker/cellar/basement

1

yes and we could get blown away

0

42

Is your survival location in hurricane territory?

no

4

yes, but we have a strong enough shelter and we'll avoid any rising tide

3

yes and we'll just pray for the best

0

43

Is your survival location flood prone?

The USGS publishes info on the 100 year flood zone areas if you're not sure.

no

3

no, but it is within the 100 year flood zone

1

yes

0

44

How often do blizzards occur in your survival location?

never

1

rarely

1

now and then

0

often

0

45

Is your survival location earthquake prone?

no

1

somewhat

1

yes

0

46

Is your survival location in a tsunami danger zone?

not possible

2

it's possible, but not likely

1

yes (Hawaii and parts of pacific northwest, near the shore of course. Unless La Palma drops into the ocean, then the east coast will get messed up. Maybe parts of Alaska too, not sure.)

0

47

Is your survival location downstream from an earthen dam?

Dams require human maintenance. Without that, they will fail at some point. I wouldn't attempt to live downstream from one of these.

no

23

yes

0

48

Is your survival location downstream from a concrete dam?

no

10

yes

0

49

How far is your survival location from a prison?

In a collapse, a lot of prisoners will escape or simply be let out. They won't hesitate to lie, steal, and kill to survive. If they survive as gangs in your area, that's even worse.

more than 200 miles

43

101-200 miles

33

51-100 miles

16

16-50 miles

9

0-15 miles

0

50

What state is your survival location in? (this accounts for violent crime rate by state)

It's not necessary to have everything built yet, but building things equals time and time equals food and food equals survival, so it's nice to have things set up already.

yes, it’s fully built

20

it’s mostly built

17

it’s half way built

11

some stuff is built

7

the land is cleared, but nothing is there yet

4

I have to build from scratch, including clearing the land

0

54

How far is your average visibility from your living quarters? (Are you surrounded by trees, houses, buildings that allow people to sneak up on you? On the other hand, that is good cover, but that is the next question.)

You will want to see if somebody is coming. You may also want to scan for wildlife.

over 1 mile

115

¼ mile to 1 mile

100

201-400 meters

54

81-200 meters

28

16-80 meters

0

15 meters or less

-20

Often this question is at odds with the previous question. If you can find a way to hide your camp and possessions, yet at the same time, be able to see a long distance, you have the perfect combination. My general rule of thumb is that the more people you have to defend your position, the more visible you can be to the outside world, not that you would want to be, but with a lot of people it becomes hard to stay invisible anyways.

Do your physical barriers have a natural look that blends in with the land?

If wanderers can pass by without noticing, that's better.

yes

6

kind of

3

no

0

60

How sturdy is your living quarters?

it could withstand RPGs and TNT

20

it is bulletproof and you can't chop through the walls

17

as sturdy as a regular house

9

not very sturdy

3

i will sleep under the stars, cuz I like to watch meteor showers, since there's no more light pollution.

0

61

Does your living quarters have protected doors?

yes, metals doors, but there is still a way to see out somehow

9

yes, metal doors, but when shut, I can't see out

6

yes, bars are around the doors and they can be locked

4

extra locks on the door

3

regular door

1

there aren't really doors to my living quarters

0

62

Are your windows protected?

yep, bulletproof shutters or equivalent

6

I got bars around them

4

all I can do is keep them locked and shut

2

there's no protection

0

it's not applicable, since I don't have windows.

0

63

Do you have a bunker or safe room?

yes, it’s disguised well and it has a secret escape

18

yes, and it has multiple entrances

14

yes, one way in and one way out

4

no

0

64

How much food and water will be stored in the bunker/safe room?

How much food you have stored total will be asked in a later question.

over 5 years' worth

7

between 1-5 years worth

6

less than 1 years worth

4

my supplies won't be stored in a bunker/safe room

0

65

Will you have someone on watch 24/7?

yes, and with a 360 degree view

36

yes, but no 360 degree view

26

no

0

66

How many able-bodied men (or women) are in your group that can help defend your position?

0

0

1

3

2 - 3

11

4 - 6

24

7 - 9

44

10 - 14

88

15-22

122

23-49

171

50-99

256

100+

299

67

How many guns do you have per person who can handle a gun?

4+

68

2 - 3

61

1

47

less than one

17

no guns

0

68

How much ammo do you have per gun-wielding person?

less than 100 rounds

0

100-700 rounds

30

701-3,000 rounds

83

3,001-10,000 rounds

107

10,001-20,000 rounds

199

more than 20,000

228

69

Do you have a rifle?

Remaining quiet might keep you alive, which is why I value suppressors.

Yes with scope, suppressor, and night vision

54

yes with scope and suppressor

50

yes with scope and night vision

48

yes with scope only

41

yes with suppressor only

36

yes, but no attachments

33

no

0

70

Do you have a .50 cal rifle?

Is a .50 cal necessary? I don't know. Is stopping a vehicle from afar necessary? Is allowing your attackers to hear a thunderous boom and see their homeboy split in two necessary? Probably not, haha, but it's definitely good to have one just in case.

yes with scope, suppressor, and night vision

23

yes with scope and night vision

21

yes with scope and suppressor

21

yes with scope only

21

yes with suppressor only

14

yes, but no attachments

11

no

0

71

Do you have a 22lr gun?

One of these with a night vision scope will help you tremendously with night time garden hunting for varmint. Protect your food and get some more in the process.

Yes with scope, suppressor, and night vision

31

yes with scope and night vision

28

yes with scope and suppressor

28

yes with scope only

26

yes with suppressor only

24

yes, but no attachments

21

no

0

72

Do you have a shotgun?

yes, and it holds more than 3 shells

31

yes

28

no

0

73

Do you have a handgun?

Yes with suppressor

33

yes

28

no

0

74

In case of a gun fight (fire fight) is your best weapon automatic?

I realize many people say that a fully automatic weapon is not necessarily better than semi, but it makes for a great display of force if you hapen to be in a firefight. It could cause your attackers to back down.

yes, fully automatic

43

yes, 3 burst automatic

38

it's semi-automatic

36

it's not even semi-automatic

4

no or I don't have any guns

0

75

In case of a gun fight, how many rounds does your magazine carry (or what is the maximum that can be loaded)?

more than 100

11

51-100

10

21-50

9

11 - 20

7

5 - 10

4

less than 5

0

76

When you have a loaded gun and all extra magazines loaded and on your person, how many rounds does that represent?

more than 250

26

151-250

24

51-150

21

31-50

13

10 - 30

4

less than 10

0

77

How many knives do you have per person?

A high score is offered for these, because knives are the most important survival tool.

likely, but we have enough water storage capacity to make up for possible dry months

299

no, but we have enough water storage capacity to make up for the dry months

270

likely, but we have a backup water source elsewhere that we can use if necessary

228

no, but we plan on using a backup water source elsewhere during the dry months

192

no and we don't have the ability to store the additional water we'll need and we don’t have a backup water source

-1423

104

Do you have durable water bottles or water containers for everyone in your group that are good for travel?

A simple stainless steel water bottle will work, so you can boil it.

yes

67

some, but not enough for everyone

61

no

0

105

Do you have a way of purifying water when you are traveling and away from your survival location?

yes

31

no

0

106

Do you have water manipulating equipment, such as pumps, hoses, valves, pvc pipe, tanks, etc.?

Irrigation and plumbing is incredibly important and a fastlane to reviving civilization.

yes, we have a lot of that stuff and can rig up some nice irrigation or plumbing

47

yes, we have some of that stuff

36

we just have some buckets/barrels

26

no

0

FOOD

107

How much food do you have stored per person?

10+ years

356

6 - 10 years

341

3 - 5 years

327

1 - 2 years

306

7 - 11 months

270

3 - 6 months

142

1 - 2 months

57

1 week - 29 days

28

less than a week

0

108

At your survival location, will your food be in multiple locations?

If your location gets overrun or robbed, you don't want the bad guys to find all of your food. This can help.

yes, and a lot of it’s hidden too

38

yes

21

no, but it's hidden

21

no

0

109

Are you or someone in your group a farmer or gardener?

yes with plenty of experience

64

yes with some experience

57

I've never grown, but I know the basics

40

no experience whatsoever. So, I put the seed in the ground, right?

0

110

How many seeds do you have?

Obviously you can harvest seeds to use for the next year, therefore, you can continue to grow indefinietly, but having extra is good just in case some don't work, you end up with more people in your group than you thought, or you need extra to trade or sell. Remember, most refugees won't have seeds. If you give them seeds, maybe it will prevent them from stealing from you in the future and they could actually join your alliance or trade network.

more than 20x enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for a year

213

between 11 and 20x enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for a year

199

between 6 and 10x enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for a year

185

between 2 and 5x enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for a year

171

enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for a year

157

enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for 6 months

57

less than enough to harvest a yield that will feed everyone in my group for 6 months

36

I don’t have seeds

0

111

In what grow zone is your survival location?

11 or higher

131

10

129

9

128

8

127

7

124

6

118

5

104

4

77

3

43

2

14

1

0

112

How arable is the land at your survival location?

it’s perfect for growing

228

it’s good for growing

199

it will do

171

we will really have to work to create growing conditions, but we have the tools and know-how

157

it’s not favorable

43

it’s infertile and we won’t attempt to grow

0

113

How about a greenhouse and the climate?

the climate allows for year-round growing

71

I have a greenhouse to do year-round growing

63

we'll just grow during normal seasons

58

with the use of a greenhouse we can grow during normal seasons

51

we can only grow for a short season

31

with a greenhouse we can only grow for a short season

23

we won't be growing food

0

114

Are there fruit and or nut trees in your location?

yes, plenty

18

yes, some

13

I have some that I will transport to my location

11

I have seeds to start growing them

9

no, and no plans for it

0

115

Do you or someone in your party have knowledge of wild edibles in your area?

yes, someone knows, plus we have a print guide that shows us what’s edible

Do you have equipment for trapping (medium game, small game, fish, birds)?

yes, I have equipment to trap all of those

33

yes, I have equipment to trap some of those

26

I only have one type of trapping device

14

no

0

120

Can you or someone in your party hunt?

yes, I'm experienced

41

I know what to do and I'll try

31

no

0

121

Can you or someone in your party fish?

Yes, I'm experienced

16

I know what to do and I'll try

9

no, we don't know how or there won't be fishing possibilities

0

122

Do you have fishing gear?

yes, lots of gear and bait

11

yes, some gear and bait

9

yes, just the bare basics

6

I have no fishing gear

0

123

Will you be able to farm fish?

yes, I can even set up aquaponics

57

yes, I will farm fish

53

I have some fish for it and I'll try

44

I'm gonna rush the local pond/pet store/asian food market and see if I can wing it once I get to my location

34

no

0

124

Will you have quickly reproducing animals other than fish to eat? (like rabbits)

yes

53

no

0

125

Will you have livestock?

yes

37

no

0

126

What do your animals eat?

they'll eat local vegetation and bugs

14

animal feed that I have, plus I will grow what they eat

13

animal feed, and I have years' worth stored and ready for them

7

animal feed, and I have some of it stored for them

3

uh, I guess I'll just eat them right away cuz I have no feed for them (or I don't have animals)

0

127

Are your animals noisy?

If you want roosters, you might consider having them in a cage lined with carpet or sound proof foam. If a dog is quiet on command and can act as a guard dog, he's worth it, but if he barks a lot and doesn't help with security or hunting, he's not worth it.

no, they're quiet (like rabbits, or I don't have animals)

0

a little noisy (goats, cows, pigs, dogs, horses)

-11

yes, noisier than a jazz band at Mardi Gras (If you have roosters, this is you.)

-70

128

Do anyone in your group have experience raising and caring for farm animals?

yes, many years and multiple animals

14

yes, a fair amount of experience

11

some experience (or we have experience, but we won't have any animals initially, so experience might not matter)

9

no

0

129

Is anyone in your group a veterinarian?

yes, a large animal veterinarian

11

yes, a regular vet

9

someone has some related experience

6

no

0

130

Do you have basic cookware like pots/pans?

yes

70

no

0

131

Do you have mason jars and a can cooker?

Yes, over 150 jars per person

51

yes, between 51 and 150 jars per person

34

yes, between 10 and 50 jars per person

26

yes, but less than 10 jars per person

7

no

0

132

Do you have reusable mason jar lids and gaskets?

Tattler makes reusable jar lids and gaskets. It will be important for long-term survival.

yes, I'm pro like that

71

no, but I have over twenty years' supply of lids/gaskets

55

no, but I have over ten years' supply of lids/gaskets

43

no, but I have a supply of lids/gaskets

21

no

0

133

Do you have a dehydrator or drying racks?

You can even use the racks in your oven if you have nothing better.

yes

23

no

0

134

Do you have mylar storage bags?

yes

20

no, but I have another form of air tight bags/containers

13

no

0

135

Do you have oxygen absorbers or humidity absorbers?

yes, thousands of them

20

yes

10

no

0

136

Is your climate cold enough to preserve food naturally or have you rigged a makeshift refrigerator using cold water or a cellar or you're a boss and still have electricity and a working refrigerator--basically, do you have a way to keep food cold?

yes, I can even keep food frozen year-round

38

yes, I can keep food cold year-round

24

I can keep food cold for part of the year only

13

no

0

137

Do you have lots of salt?

Most of us consume so much salt now, that we don't realize how important it is to us. We take it for granted.

yes, a lifetime supply for all needs

40

yes, lots

18

some

9

no

0

MEDICAL / HYGIENE

138

How much soap do you have?

over 10 year supply or I can make my own

134

between 6-10 year supply

121

between 1-5 year supply

64

less than 1 year supply

14

I don’t have soap and I don't know how to make it

0

139

How many toothbrushes do you have?

a lifetime supply

31

enough for many years

16

just a couple

6

just my current one

3

none

0

140

How much toothpaste or toothpaste substitute do you have or can make/find?

enough to last me indefinitely

21

more than 10 years' worth

17

6-10 years' worth

13

1-5 years' worth

10

less than 1 year worth

3

I don't have any

0

141

How much dental floss do you have?

more than 10 years worth

9

6-10 years worth

7

1-5 years worth

4

less than 1 year worth

2

I don't have any

0

142

How much disinfectant do you have, such as bleach?

over 10 year supply or I can make my own

28

between 6-10 year supply

26

between 1-5 year supply

18

less than 1 year supply

10

I don’t have disinfectant and I don't know how to make it

0

143

Can you keep mosquitoes away?

yes, I have mosquito nets

7

yes, I don’t have mosquito nets, but I have other methods of keeping them away

6

I have multiple years worth supply of mosquito repellant

3

I have some mosquito repellant

1

There aren't any mosquitoes

0

144

Do you have antibiotics?

yes, a lot and I know how to make more

51

yes, some and I know how to make more

46

I know how to make antibiotics

44

yes, a lot

33

yes, some

17

no

0

145

Do you have antiseptics?

yes, a lot and I know how to make more

43

yes, some and I know how to make more

40

I know how to makee antiseptics

36

yes, a lot

27

yes, some

17

no

0

146

Do you have sutures?

yes, lots

18

yes, a fair amount

16

yes, some

11

no

0

147

Do you have bandages?

Yes, a lot

14

yes, some

9

no

0

148

How much other medical supplies do you have?

A lifetime supply per person or more

43

probably as much as we'll need

39

some

18

none

0

149

Will you grow medicinal plants?

yes

33

no

0

150

Do you have doctor's tools?

yes

27

no

0

151

Do you have dentist's tools and supplies?

yes

26

no

0

152

Are you or someone in your group medically trained?

yes, doctor

40

yes, nurse or equivalent

27

some medical training

18

no

0

153

Are you or someone in your group trained in first aid?

yes, multiple people

33

yes, one person is trained

26

no

0

154

Do you or someone in your group know CPR?

yes, multiple people know it

7

yes, one person knows it

5

no

0

GENERAL SURVIVAL

155

How much money have you spent on survival equipment, supplies, and training?

more than $12,000 per person

85

$6,001-$12,000 per person

71

$3,001-$6,000 per person

53

$1,001-$3,000 per person

25

$251-$1,000 per person

9

$101-$250 per person

3

$100 or less per person

0

156

Are your supplies at your survival location already?

You always want to have some supplies with you, but if you know you'll be able to make it to your survival location, it is best to get as many of your supplies there as possible, as long as they'll be safe. Having your supplies there now prevents the chaos of packing, taking inventory, and possibly making multiple trips under stress.

all of my supplies are

0

most of my supplies are

24

about half of my supplies are

22

some of my supplies are

18

none of my supplies are

0

157

How secure are your supplies now (pre-shtf) from theft or damage? (Typically, supplies are safest when they are with you or hidden and locked.)

very secure

92

secure

68

somewhat secure

14

not secure

-14

158

Do you have horses?

yes, multiple males and females that can breed

33

yes, at least one male and female that can breed

28

yes

21

no

0

159

Is anyone in your group a horse trainer?

yes

13

someone has some experience with that

9

no

0

160

Do you have a bicycle?

yes and with spare parts

16

yes

12

no

0

161

Do you have a large backpack or other transport bag?

yes

28

no

0

162

Do you have a sleeping bag or bivvy?

A sleeping bag or bivvy is your most basic form of shelter. It's very important, especially for travel.

yes, and it’s warm, waterproof, and lightweight

102

yes, it’s a good one

71

yes, it’s acceptable

41

no

0

163

Do you have flashlights, lanterns, and other lighting equipment?

Batteries will run out. It's best to use rechargeable devices.

yes, multiple and they can be recharged

27

I have one that can be recharged

24

yes, multiple, but they can’t be recharged

10

I just have one and it can’t be recharged

6

no

0

164

Do you have extra ammo for barter?

yes

21

no

0

165

Do you have other items for barter?

The best barter items are small, lightweight, and inexpensive now, but will be valuable and scarce later.

yes

24

no

0

166

Do you have go away kits?

This would be small kits of basic survival supplies that you can give to refugees whom you can't help further. Just give these to them with some helpful instructions and send them on their way.

Survival knowledge really is one of the most important things you'll need in a survival situation. I recommend a huge digital library like at SurvivalSage.com and hard copies of the most important survival information. You can't possibly know everything. Bring some survival information to help when you get stuck.

173

What methods of starting a fire do you have?

fire starters and lighters

285

magnifying glass/lens and lighters

285

solar fire starter and lighters

270

magnesium fire starters (multiple, but no lighters)

265

regular fire starters (multiple, but no lighters)

262

If you live in a sunny location, magnifying lenses are a great long-term fire starting tool, but otherwise ferrocium rods (fire starters) are the best long-term fire starting tool. However, lighters are obviously the easiest, so do yourself a favor and bring those as well. Bic lighters or better are good. Some of the cheap ones can leak out lighter fluid over time.

magnifying glass/lens (but no lighters)

262

solar fire starter (but no lighters)

250

regular fire starter (one, but no lighters)

185

magnesium fire starter (one, but no lighters)

157

lighters (more than 10 good quality)

157

lighters (6-10 good quality)

107

lighters (1-5 good quality)

71

lighters (multiple poor quality)

64

lighter (one poor quality)

57

waterproof matches

54

matches

53

friction method, and I've successfully done it before

36

friction method, I've never done it before

24

other method (MacGyver is my hero)

36

I won't have a method to start a fire

-427

174

Given your supplies, how many fires will you realistically be able to start?

You shouldn't need to start a new fire everyday, but you want to be able to start thousands of them to ensure you have fire creating abilities long into the future. 5 or 6 quality fire starters should give you fires for life.

Over 4,000

92

between 2,001-4,000

75

between 501-2,000

57

between 101-500

26

less than 100

7

none, I'm just relying on dumb luck

0

175

What about fuel for cooking?

Cooking with a fresnel lens means you don't have to collect and process wood, so you're saving precious calories, and you won't release any smoke that could be visible to thieves. However, you can only cook when the sun is shining and these can be very dangerous. If you cook with one of these daily for the next 40 years, a mistake is bound to happen.

I will cook with a fresnel lens

164

I will use wood and there's plenty of it around to collect

157

I will use a solar oven

137

I will use dung

107

I will use fuel and I have more than a 10 year supply

85

I will use fuel and I have a 6-10 year supply

43

I will use fuel and I have a 1-5 year supply

18

I will use fuel and I have less than a year supply

0

I like to eat things raw

-142

176

Are there construction materials at your survival location based on what you brought or what you can get nearby? It can even be simple things, like wood and mud.

yes, plenty

26

some

13

no

0

177

Which sources to generate electricity do you have?

hydro

30

solar panels

30

thin film (or foldable) solar

27

wind

26

crank

21

thermo

20

gas generator

11

stocked up on batteries

10

other

10

none

0

178

How long will you be able to generate electricity?

More than 10 years

23

between 6-10 years

17

between 1-5 years

9

less than a year

4

I have no sources

0

179

Is your shelter and important infrastructure water proof?

yes

65

no

0

180

Do you reasonably believe your shelter will remain heated/cooled as necessary if the electrical grid is down?

yes, no doubt

31

I think so

26

it will get rough at times, but we'll live

21

heat stroke or hypothermia will be a factor

-57

181

How long can it remain heated/cooled?

indefinitely

31

more than 10 years

27

between 5-10 years

21

between 1-5 years

16

less than 1 year

6

it won't

0

182

What bands can you pick up on your radio (AM, FM, NOAA, Short Wave, CB, other bands)?

I can pick up all bands

43

I can pick up most bands

40

I can pick up a few bands

36

I can only pick up one band

20

I don't have a radio

0

183

Can you transmit over the radio?

I can transmit on all the bands

28

I can transmit on most bands

26

I can transmit on a few bands

24

I can transmit on one band

14

I can't transmit

0

184

Given your supplies and the power source, how long will your radio work when using it 30 min/day, if it doesn't break?

more than 10 years

20

between 5-10 years

17

between 1-5 years

13

less than 1 year

4

I don't have a radio

0

185

Overall, how would you rate your survival gear? Do you have all the equipment you’ll need for just about any task and the new post-apocalyptic lifestyle?